PEORIA — Five months after tornadoes devastated communities across Illinois, the state and municipalities are working together to ensure they’re ready to respond to the next natural disaster, whenever it may strike.

Jonathon Monken, director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, said in “weeks, at most,” the agency will begin reimbursing municipalities for cleanup costs as part of the $45 million relief package from the state.

Washington Mayor Gary Manier said that the city has spent $12 million to $14 million in debris removal, sewer and water contamination and other eligible costs that they expect would be considered for reimbursement.

During the next one to two years, he said, city administration estimates costs could total as much as $26 million in all, including road repairs necessitated by heavy equipment.

The money was promised by Gov. Pat Quinn following the state’s second denial for federal assistance for affected communities.

Quinn pooled together available funds to present a solution for communities such as tornado-ravaged Washington, but Monken, Manier and state legislators Sen. Darin LaHood, R-Dunlap, and Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, created a plan for the next time disaster strikes so the state can provide aid in the event that the federal government doesn’t.

“It’s great,” Monken said of the funds offered up for 2013 tornado-affected communities, “but we really need it built into the system because there are a lot of times that we have disasters that don’t meet the national threshold.”

Even then, Manier points out, the dollars are reimbursed on a 3-1 ratio — 75 percent paid out by the state with municipalities making up the rest.

Costs that aren’t eligible for reimbursement by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, such as lost property tax revenue for school districts and public libraries would be included as part of the proposed state aid bill.

“We’re doing everything we can,” Manier said. “I don’t want to make money on this thing. We just want to make sure we don’t go bankrupt by this storm.”

The bill passed the Senate by unanimous vote earlier this month and awaits approval in the House.

Laura Nightengale can be reached at 686-3181 or lnightengale@pjstar.com. Follow her on Twitter @lauranight.